From hydrogen to electricity
Unlike conventional engines that use fossil fuels, or "hydrocarbons", the fuel cell uses the hydrogen in its tank and the oxygen from the air to produce electricity and power the vehicle.
How it works
Hydrogen-powered car in images
Inside a fuel cell:
The fuel cell is used to produce electricity from hydrogen H2 and oxygen O2. It emits only water.
Inside a fuel cell, the hydrogen molecule (H2) is broken down into two protons (H+) and two electrons (e-). The electrons start to move, creating electricity. On leaving the cell, the protons react with the oxygen and the electrons to form water, the cell's only emission.
The fuel cell can be used to power isolated areas, as a backup generator, for example, or to power vehicles.
Inside a hydrogen car:
The electricity is produced directly on board the vehicle by a fuel cell. These "zero-emission" vehicles are quiet and only emit water.
Studies of the whole chain show that hydrogen combined with the fuel cell enables to drive while dividing CO2 emissions by half.
More about
Documentation
for the 2012 Annual General Meeting
